Molfetta

Molfetta is one of the many Italian towns whose history is closely bound up with the sea: given its favorable position on the shores of the Adriatic, it could hardly have been otherwise.

Molfetta is a lively little town of about 60,000 people, 25 km from Bari, the provincial capital. It is the birthplace of many famous artists, most recently the conductor Riccardo Muti and the rapper Caparezza.

Molfetta first grew up on a small island known as Sant'Andrea. Over time the islet joined the mainland, and it was right here that the town developed, together with what has always been the heart of local life, then as now: the port.

Molfetta's port is a fairly large one, where a great many fishing boats, built above all for deep-sea fishing, are still moored and at work today. It was also one of the first ports on the Adriatic to have a lighthouse, which still works.

From the very beginning, the port was a hub for all the trade in the area. It was even a stopover for pilgrims bound for the Holy Land during the Crusades. That was in the 11th century, so this really is a historic port!

Among the pilgrims who passed through Molfetta and left a lasting mark was Conrad of Bavaria. The future saint would also become the town's patron saint, celebrated on February 9.

The sea is also tied to the cult of Molfetta's other patron, the Madonna dei Martiri. Between September 7 and 9, her statue is carried in procession on two fishing boats, and the journey ends near the port amid lights and fireworks.

The sea rules the table too. The classics of Apulian cooking are all there, such as olive oil, “panzerotti” and “orecchiette” with broccoli rabe, but Molfetta's dishes are mostly based on fish: seafood, red mullet, anchovies and a fish soup with tomatoes, garlic and parsley.

But Molfetta is not only about the sea. Another great asset is the natural spectacle of the Pulo di Molfetta, 2 kilometers from town. The Pulo is a karst sinkhole, a hollow ringed by caves. Neolithic remains were found in these caves, and they are still kept in the Pulo Archaeological Museum.

Today Molfetta is also known for its outlet (www.pugliavillage.it), a shopping center for bargain shopping with plenty of attractions.

Young and old alike will find plenty to enjoy in Molfetta. Because Molfetta is not just a “città da mare”, a town by the sea, it is a “città d'amare”, a town to love!